1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to an automatic reading of response forms in order to collect data. More particularly to the automatic reading of response forms for data collection in which a large form is capable of being scanned and the layout of the form is dynamically determined.
2. Description of Related Art
The present invention relates to the automatic reading of response forms in order to collect data. The most prominent example of this field is the use of optical mark reader (OMR) forms and scanners for testing in schools. These OMR forms are given to students for them to record their responses to multiple-choice test questions and then fed through an OMR scanner to score and interpret those responses. OMR technology is not only valuable for multiple-choice tests, however. Its use extends into other areas where data needs to be collected and processed.
While OMR technology is very valuable, it has many limitations. The first prominent limitation is that OMR scanners require specially produced forms. The fact that these forms cannot be printed or reproduced on plain paper makes them very expensive for schools that use them frequently. Another limitation is that OMR scanners are almost always sheet fed. Because moving parts are required to feed the forms through these machines, they are typically large, expensive, and require frequent maintenance and cleaning.
The expense of specially manufactured OMR forms is certainly limiting, and in recent years several inventions have addressed this issue by replacing traditional OMR scanners with scanners that digitally image the forms (see U.S. Pat. No. 6,970,267). The digital image is then processed in such a manner that the markings on the form can be ascertained and interpreted. While this addresses the limitation of not being able to print forms on plain paper, it does not address many of the other issues that trouble OMR scanners as these newer scanners are also typically sheet fed.
In order to address all of the above limitations, the present inventor created one set of solutions in which response forms may be printed on plain paper and in which no moving parts are used, excluding the person operating the system. However, the solutions previously offered by the subject inventor came with factors that limit the utility of the invention. The first of these is the requirement that the form size be relatively small in order for it to read. This is due to physical distortion that results with larger forms in addition to optical distortion caused by the lens of the camera when imaging larger areas. This limitation results in a maximum capacity of a response form that corresponds to roughly twenty questions with four options each (e.g. ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, or ‘D’). A second limitation is that the layout of the form had to be preprogrammed which does not allow for any flexibility.
Thus, the present invention was created to address all of the above limitations. The subject invention addresses the limitations of having moving parts and specially produced forms. Also, the present invention addresses the remaining limitations by allowing for larger forms to be scanned and for the layout of the forms to be dynamically determined.